The Ransom
by Botsey
Summary: In O'Henry's story, 'The Ransom of Red Chief,' a young child is kidnapped, the end results being the parents insist that the kidnappers pay them to take the 'Red Chief' back. How would Spock fare in a similar situation?


First of all I must thank M'Celeste for planting the seed for this story in my melancholy mind. (I'm afraid this mindset was the results of writing'Fatherhood') In addition, she has served as my beta on the fly (in a rush) for this little fic.

In our youth we had both read, O'Henry's 'The Ransom of Red Chief'. She asked, "How would four year old Spock's abductors fare in like situation?" Hummm…

Botsey

The Ransom

Chapter One

'Nice Car…'

The family of S'chn T'gai Sarek was all on Terra. Amanda, here to attend an academic retreat with a large group of Vulcan women, would by choice be inaccessible for one full week. So, the two men in her life had been left with these firm instructions, 'Take care of one another.'

Of course, to Sarek this was utterly ridiculous. As a Vulcan male, head of a house and clan, it was only logical that he protect one of his own. Four year old Spock's interpretation of his mother's edict was that he not permit himself to be a burden or trouble to his father. But since he considered this to be part of his duty as a Vulcan offspring, Amanda's instructions were once again viewed as unnecessary and illogical.

One particularly pleasant morning, Sarek informed his staff to forward any calls to his comm as he would be out with his son. Their plan was to spend the entire day visiting locations of cultural and aesthetic merit in the San Francisco area. They had already visited two museums, the Pacific Coastal Highway and were now about to explore a landmark of the area, Fisherman's Wharf.

While parking, Spock noticed an especially appealing retail establishment whose designated sign read, 'Frozen Custard'. He thought to himself that once they had completed their exploration, he would request said concoction for his consumption (his mother had introduced him to this sustenance as 'a treat'). After exploring the area, it didn't take them long to declare this as yet another illogical waste of time viewed by Terrans as entertainment. By mutual agreement they turned back to return to their vehicle.

Unbeknown to them, while absent from this vehicle two sets of eyes had been admiring it greatly. The two owners of these eyes declared it to be a 'nice car'. In reality, this vehicle was no mere 'nice car'. In fact, it was hardly a 'car' at all. This was a sleek, top of the line, fully armored, hyper charged, high security vehicle available only to the Federation member planet's various diplomatic corps; a specially constructed transport with all the bells and whistles. Interior and exterior cameras streamed data in real time direct to the Vulcan embassy, homing devices embedded in its global positioning unit allowed Vulcan Security to be aware of the vehicle's location at all times and when on the road, a stealth surveillance aircraft was always mere seconds away, equipped with the ability to shut down the ground transport at any time.

Sarek had just finished buckling his son into his safety seating when Spock made his request.

"Father, mother introduced me to the sustenance that is sold in that kiosk to your right. It is nourishing, has a high fat content beneficial for Vulcan metabolism, is quite tasty and is considered good for growing bones. May I please have one?"

Impressed by his son's voluntary choice of healthy food, Sarek replied, "I shall return to you with said nourishment."

Believing first of all in his son's abilities and secondly in the accoutrements of his battle ready vehicle, Sarek did not bother to lock the doors of the vehicle. He knew the errand he was on would only take seconds.

Unknown to Sarek, two Orion males had crouched down on the driver's side armed with a special jimmying device. The instant Sarek closed the rear door and turned away, these two entered the vehicle and, using another of the tools of their trade, a specially designed magnetized devise, managed to start the car without the required access codes.

As Sarek stood there, cup of custard in hand, he watched as the vehicle speed past.

To a human parent, this scenario would have caused panic, fear, hysteria - but these were emotions foreign to this Vulcan parent. Instead, with pride he considered, 'This event may serve as practical instruction in preparation for my son's _Kahs'wan._' Sarek was also aware of his son outstanding abilities in _Suus Mahna_, which he had received training in since the age of two… Without a second thought he tossed the now melting concoction into the nearest waste bin.

Through the familiar bond he advised his son of what had happened.

'Father, I am well and unharmed,' Spock sent back, continuing, 'The two individuals in the front of the vehicle are unaware of my presence. They are Orion.'

Spock did not have to elaborate further. Sarek was, of course, familiar with the saying that circulated from time to time in diplomatic circles; 'When the Almighty-Being-Who-Created-All distributed mental abilities, the Orions were at the back of the line and supplies ran low'.

`0`0`0`0`

The Ransom

Chapter Two

'Save Us!'

The Orions were bragging to each other.

"That was one quick heist!"

"The quickest we've ever pulled off!"

The closed and darkened window between the driver's station and passenger seating effectively concealed Spock's presence from anyone in the front seat, while at the same time, providing Spock with an unrestricted panorama. In their joyous celebration, the current occupants of the front seat had neglected to open the one way window to check the rear seat, where four year old Spock was spending part of his time quietly observing them.

"This vehicle is a luxury model, top dollar."

"How many credits do you think we can get?"

"We won't let Larry smooth talk us this time."

"We'd best see if there are any valuables in the back before we get to his shop."

"Yes, of course! We could always fence anything else ourselves."

"Gotmer, that's using your superior intellect!"

"Let's pull into that parking arena and check out the back."

As the two exited the vehicle, Spock closed the book he had been intermittently reading ('War and Peace') to observe them more closely. They were dressed in an eclectic mix of Orion, Terran, Klingon, and some as yet undiscovered species' garbs. Spock analyzed the situation in a straight line, logical manner: these males had stolen an Embassy vehicle- that meant they were criminals - criminals should be punished. After all, wasn't that the prevalent theme in most classic Terran literature?

As they noisily rummaged through first the glove box then the rear storage area, the two Orions still had no idea that there was a passenger in the vehicle. Spock knew that his appearance would certainly not give away his intellect or abilities. Knowing that this could definitely play to his advantage, he decided to play the part of a four year old Terran; demonstrating their usual limited vocabulary, strength, and analyzing abilities. First on the agenda, he would feign sleep. While his eyes were closed he formulated his plan.

"There are tools in the back, a travel bag and…"

"We have a problem. You won't believe it."

"What problem? The only problem I want to hear about is how to spend our money."

"This vehicle is registered to the Vulcan Embassy!"

"What! The Vulcan Embassy? You mean like Vulcan, Vulcan?"

"What other type of Vulcan is there?"

"Aagh! Aagh! We have a passenger!"

"A what?"

"A kid! A Vulcan kid! Shhh, he's sleeping. Don't talk so loud! You will wake him up."

"When we get to Larry's and make our deal we can just leave him in the back. Let it be Larry's problem."

While all this was going on, Spock kept his eyes closed, thinking.

`0`0`0`0`0`

As they pulled into Larry's cut shop, they saw and heard the video broadcast loud and clear…

'There is an all-points alert. The Vulcan Embassy has advised San Francisco law enforcement that there has been a theft of one of their official vehicles. Most importantly, there was passenger in the stolen vehicle, the son of the Vulcan Ambassador, Sarek. The registration number is EBSY202.'

Sorel, the Embassy spokesman, immediately appeared on screen and issued the following clarification, "This is simply a notice for the public record. Our security will handle the recovery of the Ambassador's son."

The bond between Spock and his father opened again.

'Father, these two perpetrators of a criminal act have come to an area with the intent to sell the Embassy vehicle. They are unarmed. They are not possessors of even average intellect and unless taught that this path is unacceptable, they will probably continue in this same mind set. I am therefore taking the initiative to teach them the error of their ways.'

Vulcans have been taught that pride is a vice and that it is illogical to express same, but Sarek could not help but feel a slight twinge of this emotion as he considered how mismatched these men were against his four year old son. They had no idea what they were facing; a hyper intelligent, telepathic Vulcan/Human hybrid, with a profound sense of justice. One who had recently read 'The Ransom of Red Chief'.

The raised voices from inside the shop were clearly understandable,

"You two must be insane! You steal a vehicle belonging to the Federation's most powerful member; inside the vehicle is the only offspring of the legendary Sarek, Ambassador from Vulcan. You expect me to give you credits for it? And what am I supposed to do with your passenger? Don't you know anything about Vulcans? I almost feel sorry for you."

"But …"

"Go on now," Larry continued, throwing his hands in the air, "Scram! Get off of my property and never come back. Like you'll even get the _chance_ to come back! Once they catch your sorry hides they'll put you on a penal planet for life. Probably one run by Vulcans."

The two turned and walked slowly back to the vehicle, scuffing their shoes as they kicked at small stones in the dust. One glanced mournfully at the other.

"We have to go somewhere and think this out," Gotmer said.

With that they started the vehicle and headed down a road leading directly to the desert. Unknown to them, skimming above the clouds was the Vulcan Embassy's stealth air transport with Sarek aboard.

Eyes closed, Spock mentally sized up his arsenal; seat belts, contents of baby bag, tools, a magnifying glass in the glove box... If he had been able, he would have smiled at his plan to administer justice. It was just that good.

The Ransom

Chapter Three

Who's in Charge Here?

When the vehicle stopped, the two were already arguing. The vehicle was low on its energy supply and would probably not make it back to their starting point, Fisherman's Wharf. They would have to settle on some other inhabited area.

Presently they were in the desert. Of course, Vulcan physiology would allow Spock to survive in this environment for days. Very carefully, he partially opened one eye. The one that was furthest from the shortest Orion. He reasoned, 'They are not very tall, so I can use leverage against them.' Spock also called to mind another book he had recently read, 'The Handbook for Federation Scouts', specifically the chapter entitled Advanced Rope Knots. He also knew how to create fire for light and heat with a magnifying glass and the sun's rays, thanks to another recent perusal, 'A Guide to Terran Desert Survival,' one of the Embassy library's many books on that general topic.

All of this could prove useful.

Spock continued to listen as one of them finally spoke. , "We have a valuable commodity here, The Lord what-ever's son. He probably will be worth quite a few credits, eh?"

"That's a plan!" Gotmer said to Grift, "Give me your comm unit and a rag or something."

First he switched it to automatic voice dial, stated the name and location of the party he wished to speak to, and the call was automatically routed to Sarek's office at the Embassy – which was forwarded in turn directly to Sarek. Once the call was picked up, Gotmer spoke thru his 'voice distorting' rag.

"Listen very carefully," he said, menacingly, "We have the Vulcan child. We want one million credits for his safe return. If not….you know what will happen."

Then he disconnected the call. They had to think out the next step. It wouldn't be a good idea to have them come where they were, in the middle of nowhere.

"Let's see if we can get to someplace else!" was Gotmer next idea.

Spock analyzed this conversational tidbit. Of _course_ if they moved from where they were they would be someplace else! How illogical! So he opened his eyes to view the scenery and get his bearings - and quickly closed them as Grift turned to look at him.

"Gotmer, this child is a sound sleeper, you think something is wrong?"

"No, he's probably meditating. Vulcans like to do that sort of thing. They do it all the time."

"Even the young ones?"

"All of them do it; old, young, male, female – even their pets. They just go under, or some such thing."

"That doesn't sound too healthy to me."

"Like you know Vulcans, right?"

"WATCH OUT! You almost hit that…whatever it was in the road."

"Do you think we should call the Embassy again?"

"Once we find out where we are, then we can set up a way to exchange the child for credits."

A leering grin spread across the doubly non-intelligent visage of Grith.

"That sounds good boss."

"I am not your boss. If this was an employment situation, I would never hire a person of your intellect."

"Ouch! That cut deep Gotmer, real deep."

"One of the Terran holy books says, 'The Truth is the light'. So consider yourself enlightened."

`0`0`0`0`0`

Spock's plan was finalized. And so when Grift leaned into the back seat to check more closely on their still sleeping passenger, he suddenly dropped like a stone; an unsuspecting recipient of a Vulcan neck pinch. Moments later, when Gotmer came to investigate his partner's absence, he met the same fate.

The two Orions were unconscious, one on the floor of the vehicle and the other sprawled on the ground outside. Then Spock went to work. He methodically removed the seat belts from the vehicle and tore them into strips, tying first the hands and then the feet of the two unwitting kidnappers. Then he returned to the vehicle and with little effort, removed all its external handles. If they happened to get free of their bonds, they would not have a 'getaway vehicle' at the disposal.

After several minutes had passed, Grith started to regain consciousness. Looking at his bound hands, he wondered what tool the child had used to reduce the seat belts to long strips of fiber - and how he had possibly managed the strength to manipulate it! His eyes followed the child's movements as he appeared to be searching for something nearby. What it could be was unknown to him.

Spock searched purposefully and discovered several long beams from an unknown source lying in the sand, ten meters away. He crossed the area at a swift pace, and examined the beams carefully. Then he proceeded to drag them, one at a time, toward his still prone use-to-be captors. Lining up the beams next to each male's back, he then tied them to the beams. Emptying the contents of the tool bag, Spock protected his hands by putting them inside the bag and dug one deep hole, and then aliened the two beams perpendicular to the hole.

Securing their com unit from the Gotmer's vest he dialed the Embassy and placed the unit next to the tallest one's ear.

In both Standard and Vulcan the male operator said, "Vulcan Embassy, How may I be of service?"

"The Vulcan child is with us. Do you want to pick him up? We don't know where we are and are sort of stranded and indisposed. Ah … we really don't want any credits. We just want to do the right thing. We'll cover your taxi fare…"

With that Spock ended the transmission.

He then returned to the refuse heap and secured another beam and dropped it into the hole and kicked the soil around the beams and trampled it down very compactly.

During this process, Spock had not said one word, or made any sound that would indicate exhaustion or fatigue.

Lifting both timbers then he shimmied them to and then attached the two criminals to the upright center beam and lashed them to it. Returning to the refuse pile, he gathered flammable items and piled them a distance from his prisoners.

With wide eyes the two Orions noted two piles, the first, all the external hardware from the vehicle, the second the growing fire that Spock had lit using the magnifying glass secured from the glove box. Next on Spock's agenda was the methodical ripping of the remaining seat belts. Grith's eyes grew wider still as he realized what 'tool' the child had used to transform the seat restraints! His small hands. Approaching the stakes, Spock placed one strip under each male's feet then, with almost theatrical flair, glanced pointedly at the two men as he placed each strip - until the line almost reached the small fire.

The exterior camera of the Embassy vehicle transferred images to the Security Aircraft. Sarek leaned forward to observe the transmitted images, fairly bouncing on the balls of his feet with barely restrained excitement. Hands clasped behind his back, he transmitted to Spock through their bond, 'My son, you are performing admirably.'

"He's going to burn us alive!" Grith suddenly yelled, sounding very much like a small, Terran, female child.

The tender father-son moment rudely interrupted, Spock turned his attention back to the realities before him.

Looking at the supplies that had been removed from the tool bag, he discovered one of the items labeled, '3 N 1 Oil.' Determining that it would serve as an excellent accelerant, he shook out its contents along the entire length of the strips, beginning at Gotmer and Grith's feet.

By this time Grith was screaming hysterically.

Gotmer, attempting a display of bravado said, "Hush with the noise! He is a Vulcan, they don't believe in violence."

"How could he possibly know that yet? He is just a kid."

Tilting his head to look at Grith and Gotmer in turn, Spock laid the last strip in the fire.

"See? See? He hasn't yet learned to conform to Vulcan thinking!"

The fire was burning very slowly. Through the bond, Spock advised his father that he believed the culprits had been instructed thoroughly. Within seconds, the Vulcan Security Air Transport made its appearance and landed a few meters from the 'crime scene.'

At this point, the captives were both screaming like little girls

Sarek, the first to disembark, went directly to his son and executed a deep bow, transmitting, 'You have done well my son.'

"That kid was going to cook us alive!" Grith yelled to Sarek, his 'rescuer'.

Almost in tears Grith said, "Thank you for saving us from … Say, how old is that little monster anyway?"

The first words they heard from Spock's lips were, "I am four Terran years old."

"Beat by a four year old," Gotmer said, "It might be time for us to change our line of work."

The Security Force released the two from their makeshift bonds only to put them in security cuffs.

As the hapless pair was led past Sarek and Spock, Gotmer, who by now recognized Sarek said, "Sir, you should be proud of your son. He is formidable."

Looking first at his son and then at them, Sarek responded, "Pride is foreign to the Vulcan way of thinking. We do what is required within the scope of The Vulcan Way to accomplish what we deem as necessary. What he did was no more than what was expected of him."

"That's a shame," Gotmer concluded, "He should be rewarded or something…"

Sarek picked up his son and, holding him close, whispered in his ear.

"Would it be agreeable if we stopped for frozen custard before returning to the Embassy?"

"Father, I believe that sustenance would be welcome."

Through the bond Sarek added, 'We could never have had such an adventure if your mother was here.'

Spock, in imitation of his father, raised his brow and replied 'Indeed!'

As they returned to the Security air transport, the crew was busily occupied with attaching the land vehicle to the underside of their air craft.

Sarak told the crew, "We must make one stop before returning to the Embassy, Fisherman's Wharf. My son wishes to make a purchase there."

FINIS


End file.
